


Let's Skip Together

by muninn_k



Series: Fallout 4 Short Stories [1]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: F/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-28
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:49:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27758683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/muninn_k/pseuds/muninn_k
Summary: Nora asks Codsworth if he can skip. His answer is...
Relationships: Codsworth/Female Sole Survivor, Codsworth/Sole Survivor (Fallout)
Series: Fallout 4 Short Stories [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2030599
Kudos: 2





	Let's Skip Together

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [スキップしましょ](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/718405) by Muninn KASUGA. 



> Short one-shot episode translated from Japanese. Apologies for my poor English.

It was a calm night. Nora finished her dinner alone in her house in Sanctuary Hills. Though the residents in this town generally have every meal together, she sometimes prefers to eat alone at a late, quiet hour, and instead of talking with the town residents as their leader, she wants a little chat with her Mr. Handy, Codsworth. This was one of such days. So, as always, she asked him a fluffy question. “Hey, Codsworth. Can you skip?”

“S-skip, huh?” Codsworth’s three eyes popped out toward her and the shutters in his eyes squeezed.

Nora feels happy when she succeeds to make him confused with unexpected questions or orders. Although the robot acts like a warm-hearted butler, he performs every task, every emotion too perfectly. She wants to see more of his charming aspects by surprising him.

“It depends, mum. Which behavioral program of mine would you like to have skipped? What is undesirable for you?” Codsworth answered with his voice slightly depressed. He moved his center arm’s pincer idly.

After a few seconds, she noticed that he misunderstood her question. Even a simple word can bring misunderstanding between humans and robots. She burst out laughing. “No no, Codsworth. By ‘skip’, I mean, a physical movement. Hopping and jumping.”

“Oh my, what a relief! 'Skip' as a physical movement. Alright, I got it completely, mum.” Codsworth said with his voice relaxed and his eyes’ shutters widened. Beep sounds began heard from his body. It seemed his mechanical brain was calculating something eagerly.

“Don’t have to consider so seriously. Probably you can’t do it, for your body is totally different from ours.” Nora smiled softly.

She supposed that Codsworth knew the movement but was not able to imitate it. As she mentioned, his body structure is completely different from humans’ - a floating metal sphere attached with three high-resolution metal eyes and three robust metal arms. That is why he is the most reliable companion for her, and, sometimes makes her a bit sad - makes her believe that whatever romantic things she wants from him are impossible.

“Don’t underestimate me, mum. Of course, I can do it. It’s just a piece of cake. See!” Codsworth said abruptly and confidently.

He rotated his body so that Nora could watch his side. Then, he started what the smart mechanical brain of him think as “skips”. In short, it was quite a funny movement. His body was drifting upwards and downwards constantly while his arms were wriggling backward. He seemed like a three-armed octopus swimming in the sea.

“Wow? Is that...eh...skips?” Nora chuckled at him. He stopped the “skips” and turned his body back to facing Nora.

“N-no, of course not! My apologies, something was wrong with my arms. Well, how about this one!?” Codsworth shouted out with an upset voice.

He rotated his body and started another “skips”. Diagonal floating up and straight going down of his body were repeated with his arms put down loosely. This time, he seemed like a jellyfish. Nora chuckled at him again. As his body structures are similar to these extinct marine creatures, it was easy to understand that his "skips" were similar to their movement rather than humans'.

Hearing Nora’s chuckles became bigger, Codsworth gave up his second attempt of “skips”. He rushed toward Nora’s side. His eye shutters were being widened and squeezed at random, expressing his little panic.

“Wasn’t supposed to be like this! Please, believe me, mum. I can do it better enough. But unfortunately, I haven’t executed a self-maintenance for a while, and-”

Nora’s chest was tickled joyfully by her feeling for him. She captured his center arm with her hand.

“Mum! W-w-what are you doing!?”

Codsworth pulled back his center arm to his body. He might have intended to escape from her hand, however, the result was the opposite. She would not release his arm and was drawn closer to him, so her lips and his middle eye nearly bumped against each other.

“Whoa!” Codsworth shouted and drew back his eyes hastily.

Nora felt like she had butterflies in her stomach. She had her arm wrapped around his middle arm and tilted her head with a mischievous smile. “No more excuses, Codsworth. You just don’t understand how to skip, right? Need to practice with me. Let’s go outside and skip together!”

“M-Mum...?”

Holding his arm, Nora went out to the late-night street of Sanctuary Hills. There is no other figure than them on the street. The air smelled withered trees, steels, and an ember. The above sky was full of bright stars, unlike the same sky she had seen 210 years ago.

“Ah...” Codsworth sighed sadly when Nora finally released his arm.

Nora grinned at him and turned her back to him. She kicked the street with one foot to hop toward the night sky. A moment later another foot landed on the street then she kicked the street again with the foot. She repeated the actions. The continuous tapping sounds and floating feelings pleased her, made her felt like she was merely a little girl.

When she was satisfied enough, she stopped skipping and looked back at him. He was still hovering in the same position, looking at her with his three eyes, and generating beep sounds, the sign of being deep in thought.

“Come on, Codsworth. Just try it!” Nora beckoned him.

He remained hovering with a hesitant attitude for a while but when she called his name again, he started the octopus-like “skips” and caught up with her. He looked into her eyes, probably implying that he wanted some words from her.

Nora stated like an arrogant fitness instructor, playfully. “Hmmm. Not bad for Mr. Handy. Still, there’re lots more to work on. Our first lesson will be on how to move your arms properly.”

Codsworth answered in a cheerful voice. “Got it, mum. But don’t be too hard on me, please!”

Thus, they continued their lessons for a long time that night. For Nora, it was not important at all if he could master skip. She was just enjoying her time with her dearest one in the world. She hoped he felt the same or will feel the same someday.

-End-


End file.
